Body image affects perhaps all young women, and recent research has focused on the impact of social factors and the media on young women’s satisfaction with their physical appearance. Giles, Helme, and Krcmar (2008) found that print media, namely fashion and fitness magazines, have a negative impact on females’ self-esteem regarding their body appearance. Because such research has indicated that the media is detrimental to young women’s opinions of their bodies, one has to question whether media factors contribute to eating disorders as well.
Media Association with Eating Disorders
Cox (1997) began to answer that question, finding that women have more eating disorder symptoms when they read fashion and beauty magazines (as cited in Burke, 2006). Granley, Hawkins, Richards, and Stein (2004) came to a similar conclusion, discovering that those exposed to images portraying “ideal” thin body types are more likely to display symptoms of anorexia and bulimia. Carney and Louw (2006) replicated these results, also finding that experience with ideal media images results in a greater risk of developing an eating disorder. Taken together, these results indicate that eating disorders are at least in part due to the media’s tendency to depict thinness as being ideal.
With evidence supporting the theory that the media contributes to the development of eating disorders, it is also important to search for causal roots of such an effect. Freedman (1986) asserted that the media has an impact on eating-disordered behavior because the images presented to society today portray unattainable levels of thinness to which people feel they must conform (as cited in Heinberg and Thompson, 1999). Markey (2004) also suggested that the media’s promotion of thinness is a contributing factor to its association with eating disorders. It seems, then, that eating disorders are correlated with media exposure because it provides individuals with unachievable standards of beauty.
Reversing the Media’s Effect
The media is clearly related to the development of eating disorders, but exposure to the “thinness ideal” supported by American culture need not serve as eating disorder guarantee. Preventative measures can, in fact, decrease the incidences of eating disorders. Cook-Cottone, Kane, Scime, and Watson (2006) implemented a primary prevention program for eating disorders and found that it resulted in decreased levels of body dissatisfaction and desires to be thin.
Aside from specific prevention programs, media literacy (Levine, 2003) may also be useful in lowering rates of eating disorders. Piran (2001) has noted that by being knowledgeable about the media, people can create a culture that does not result in body dissatisfaction (as cited in Levine, 2003). Perhaps viewing the media differently can contribute to increased body acceptance, thereby decreasing eating disorder prevalence. If people are aware of and acknowledge the fact that the media presents them with unrealistic ideals, they may learn to be less critical of their own appearance.
References:
Burke, E. (2006). Feminine visions: Anorexia and contagion in pop discourse. Feminist Media Studies, 6(3), 315-330.
Carney, T., & Louw, J. (2006). Eating disordered behaviors and media exposure. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 41(12), 9557-966.
Cook-Cottone, C., Kane, L., Scime, M., & Watson, T. (2006). Group prevention of eating disorders with fifth-grade females: impact on body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and media influence. Eating Disorders, 14(2), 143-155.
Granley, H., Hawkins, N., Richards, P., & Stein, D. (2004). The impact of exposure to the thin-ideal media image on women. (2004). Eating Disorders, 12(1), 35-50.
Heinberg, L., & Thompson, J. (1999). The media's influence on body image disturbance and eating disorders: We've reviled them, now can we rehabilitate them? Journal of Social Issues, 55 (2), 339-353.
Krcmar, M., Giles, S., & Helme, D. (2008). Understanding the process: How mediated and peer norms affect young women's body esteem. Communication Quarterly, 56 (2), 111-130.
Levine,M. (2003). Reducing Risk Factors. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 33(4), 384-387.
Markey, C. (2004). Culture and the development of eating disoders: A tripartite model. Eating Disorders, 12(2), 139-156.
Jennifer Long - Jennifer Long holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the Ohio State University and has completed research projects in the field.
